Visiting Unzen Onsen

I looked everywhere and can't find out if there is bus from Unsen Onsen to Unzen lower ropeway station?

Can someone recommend a nice ryokan in Unzen Onsen, please!

This is a kind of a bus (called "shared taxi") that requires advance reservations at least 30 minutes before the three daily scheduled departure times:
http://www.unzen.org/access/taxi.html

If you're reasonably fit (and/or arrive too late for the taxi) walking is easily doable from the town to the ropeway. There is a well marked track to 'Nita Pass' that begins at the intersection west of the big golf course. The track was absent from the cartoonish map available.

Thank you Uji! That what I was looking for! 9:00 is good for me, but earlier one would be better.
Thanks again!

Thank you Starkerr! Very useful information!
I will be doing a lot of hiking on that trip, but on this leg I have little time, so I would prefer bus for quick visit of Mt.Uzen. Initially I wanted to visit Mt. Aso, but it's closed now, so I decided to go to Unzen instead, my back flight is from Nagasaki.